The Interaction of Gb Glycosphingolipids with and Phase Lipids in Lipid Monolayers Is a Function of Their Fatty Acids.

The glycosphingolipid Gb is a specific receptor of the bacterial Shiga toxin (STx). Binding of STx to Gb is a prerequisite for its internalization into the host cells, and the ceramide's fatty acid of Gb has been shown to influence STx binding. In studies on liquid ordered ()/liquid disordered () coexisting artificial membranes, Shiga toxin B (STxB) binds solely to domains, thus harboring Gb concomitant with an observed lipid redistribution process.